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Installation Story of Linux on AMD K6-3 & MoBo K6XV3+/66

Posted 11-18-2010 at 02:45 PM by floppy_stuttgart
Updated 02-04-2012 at 04:05 PM by floppy_stuttgart (Project improves)

Start 18.11.2010
Hello there,
I have an old computer and try to install a quick operating system on it (run today with Win98 and some patches from Win98SE for making runnning the USB WLAN adapter).
I installed PuppyLinux, but the net access was too long (ndiswrapper with the AVM Fritz WLAN usb adapter worked fine).
Now I installed Damnsmalllinux as frugal version on the HDD.
By loading the Win98 and WinXP drivers, error messages came up with ndiswrapper; the wlan is not starting by driver loading errors happens.

I made:
lsusb (show the version 057c:5601 of the stick)
ndiswrapper /path_to_the_inf_and_bin_and_sys_files/fwlan.inf
# inf file was found in the net
# sys and bin files were found in the AVM.de homepage by unpacking the windows driver with WINE on an ubuntu 10.04 laptop, transfering the files on an usb storage for the old computer)
modprobe usb-uhci
modprobe ndiswrapper (then some messages were indicated with dmesg like, error miniport_init: 273 couldnt initialize device C000001.. pnp_start_device: 497..: windows driver couldnt initialize the device.. this happens with the Win98 driver. Similar error messages happens with the WinXP driver)

Configuration (today):
AMD K6-II 450
Board K6XV3+/66
780MB RAM (newly upgraded from 64MB !)
6GB HDD (spare HDD 10GB to be connected later)
AVM Fritz WLAN USB adapter from www.avm.de (code 057c:5601)
Ethernet adapter.. (but PC is 13m away from my WLAN-Mainbox, so I dont want to use an ethernet harness)
Damnsmalllinux V4.4.10 frugal install on HDD
Kernel 2.4.31
ndiswrapper 1.8

A forum indicated that I should use the ndiswrapper > 1.9 for this USB WLAN.

Question: how should I upgrade ndiswrapper from 1.8 to 1.56 in Damnsmalllinux? Can somebody indicate the commands I should make? or perhaps I am wrong and it should work differently for making the fritz usb wlan running?
Thanks a lot!
Pascal


Update 23.11:
it seems DSL should be updated with myDSL applications apt-get or synaptic which has first to be installed into DSL. Then later I can install the latest ndiswrapper and wpa_supplicant versions. Lets do it in a quicker way: a 15m ethernet harness was delivered today by amazon.de. I will connect it to my old machine and SELL it as soon my wlan is running.

Update 25.11:
I cannot install the newest ndiswrapper on dsl 4.4.1 (the current version is 1.8). I dont really know how to do it (and nobody answered to the question above).
Other type of question: who has a damnsmalllinux version at home with a ndiswrapper version > 1.9? and wpa_supplicant > 0.4.4? Then I will install it.
Or in an other way:
What are the ndiswrapper and wpasupplicant versions of DSL 3.4.7 and 4.2.5 and 4.2.4? It could be that the older DSL versions have a higher ndis and wpasuppl version than DSL 4.4.1.

Update 3. Dec 2010.
I was not successfull with DSL.
So, I moved to latest released Tiny Core Linux.
No problem for installing: the experience gained with DSL helped. I used an holiday journey and snow here for making the first tuning: installing a qwertz keyboard, opera webbrowser, flume calculator, htop system overview, installing diverse applications as "active after boot" or "loaded but activated later on demand" and started installing wpa_supplicant, ndiswrapper, .. Fritz Wlan USB still not running.

Update Dec 12, 2010
The PC is now running with TinyCoreLinux. The Fritz USB Wlan 057c:5601 is working with ndiswrapper.
Next steps: I will upgrade the hardware with an USB PCI card USB 2.0 (the current USB 1.1 from the mainboard seems to limitate too much the Fritz Wlan USB). It cost approx 7 Euros.

Update Dec 31, 2010
the usb 2.0 pci card is implemented and works fine. The Fritz USB works fine on it. It seems to be quicker but I did not measure the speed increase (not such big improvement).
The PC is running now,
- boot HDD 10GB with antiX (boot menu with choice antiX or Tinycore Linux 3.4.1)
- second HDD 6GB with TinyCoreLinux 3.4.1
The netbrowser Opera in TCL is good, but still a bit too slow. So, I will have to use "Links" with is very quick.
Next steps:
- implement cftp (for transfering files from the usb memory mounted on the fritzbox7170 which is accessible by all computers at home), optimize boot times, check different few things in TCL (RAM saving)
- making running antiX with the fritz wlan usb (is now in the us2.0 card)
- and perhaps: buy an IDE adapter and connect a SD card to it (for regular backups of both HDDs important personal files)

Update 11.1.2011
- I installed midnight commander for file transfer via ftp
- spreadsheet program is gnumeric
- links as standard browser (opera as optional; firefox als last option)
- leafpad as text editor
- epdfview as pdf viewer
- flume as calculator on TCL (webcam to be installed after home ethernet adapter are installed)
- a Compactflashcard 8GB arrived today: I will try to install knoppix on it then try to put this card in an IDE adapter for using it as HDD, too (I will take it as main operating system for working on other more modern computers when I am travelling abroad)
- I bough 2 ethernet home adapter for using the electricity harness in the house as a LAN network. Let see if the speed is the same than a 25m LAN harness through the house.
- antiX still not running with fritz usb (error message that the ndiswrapper module was not found by doing modprobe of it). It works with LAN. It looks good.

Update 16.01.2011
- the home ethernet adapters are installed (maximum 500Mbit/s). So, I dont need WLAN anymore in the house for my old PC. I dont need a 25m LAN harness through the house. Good thing; quick (not cheap: approx 110 Euros for 2 parts).
- this is now possible to boot from the PC without CDROM and without HDD and without bootable USB (the BIOS dont have a setup for booting via USB): KNOPPIX on a compact flash card installed to the IDE via an adapter can be used as device for booting of the PC (KNOPPIX was installed before on the Compact Flash with the help of another PC which had a CDROM; the compact flash was on an USB adapter)
- next steps:
- overclock the processor and modify the BIOS settings for improving the speed
- install the webcam and skype
Next project will be (timescale 1 year): building a PC for my children: small HDD (few GB), LAN access, RAM 2GB, processor >1GhZ and.. LINUX!

31.01.2011
I ordered and received within few days a chip programmed with the latest BIOS version for my 13 years old PC. www.biosflash.com. Quick, Cheap. Now my PC is up to date with access to bigger HDDs (BIOS version 2001..;-).
So, I have no hurry anymore, my PC is booting quick, stable.
I will keep trying making few modifications for a quicker booting (KNOPPIX, TCL), install TCL on CF cards for checking if there is a speed improvement (1x boot, 1x TCE), see how looks "Slitaz" on my old boy, install a pdf writing programm in TCL, install skype in TCL.
But this not so urgent.
And: I am disappointed with the antiX forums: few people seems to be interested with it. I think a Debian light would be the best thing. I will try it instead of antiX at the next rainy/snowy day.

24.01.2011
I bough a new processor AMD K6-3 400 ATZ (now at 100x5,5) on MoBo K6xv3+/66 BB+. The system is quicker.
Still working on installing Skype on TinyCoreLinux.

10.03.2011
Still working on
- installing skype (installing Xorg7-5 messed up with the webbrowser "links")
- increasing the access speed for my HDDs (BIOS recognize UDMA66/ATA66 but not the Linux system after boot)
- increasing to 6x100 MHz
- installing a pdf printer...

24.5.2011
HDD recognized as ATA66 (cable detection had to be disconnected with boot code).Alsa working.
to be done
- skype nearly working with tcl3.6, Xorg7.4.. still working on it (video received.. not sending).
- installing slitaz, partedmagic, tcl, mcl on CF for installing linux on other PCs

15.7.2011
- installed slitaz, partedmagic,tcl,mcl on cf 8GB (syslinux). slitaz work; not PartedMagic; TinyCoreLinux still the most appropriate Distro. I could boot a 5 years old hp laptop with this CF on an USB adapter and TinyCoreLinux within few seconds. Impressive in comparison with the installed XP.
- skype working; limitation: I cannot send my webcam video because it abort with segmentation fault or other message depending of skype_static or skype-extension of tinycorelinux (I can see the webcam of the other skyped person)
- I gained approx 3s during boot by using boot codes for avoiding scanning the floppy-drive (not existing) and isapnp etc.
I am now enjoying that old box.

14.10.2011
- I upgraded my old box with tinycorelinux 4.0.1. The second HDD is nomore recognized as ATA66. Issue to be solved. TCL is still GOOD.
- I installed on a lenovo netbook Windows XP in parallel to Linux (with grub4dos). The PC can now run XP and TinyCoreLinux .. and Slitaz.. and Knoppix.. and LucidPuppy.. and WarryPuppy. The owner is happy: the speed of TinyCoreLinux is better than with XP. http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index....html#msg59705.
- I installed the plop bootloader on my old pc (on the HDD: it can be started from GRUB). Now .. it can boot from the USB! (the BIOS dont recognize the USB as a possible boot interface). "plop is good for you".

2.Jan.2012
- I made running my old PC with higher pixel with activating the hsyn and vsync parameter in the xorg.conf files according the screen specification (xorg74). This higher pixel setup is automatic recognized by xorg76 by booting without any xorg.conf file
- bought a samsung NC10 plus netbook and it boots good with tinycorelinux 4.2. No issue with wlan. sound and others not installed
- installed a www.fonic.de USB modem on my PCs (TinyCoreLinux with usb-modeswitch). See http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index....html#msg61207

2. Feb 2012.
I ordered today a pentium 4 second hand desktop (approx 60 Euros) via eBay.
Since I installed TinyCoreLinux on a Pentium4 of a friend, I was depressed with the low speed of my old box. I will probably that box away to people having needs for computers or for learning purposes.
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